nanoHUB tools will be briefly unavailable due to scheduled host maintenance on Sunday, October 1st, 2017 between the hours of 7:00 am ET and 17:00 pm ET. All tool sessions will be expired. We apologize for any inconvenience. close

Category

Published on

08 Jan 2007

Abstract

At a time when competition for obtaining research grant money is at a critically high
level of complexity, coincidentally, the recruitment of U.S. students to science and
engineering courses of study and careers is at an all time low. The NSF estimates that by
the year 2015 there will be a need for two million workers worldwide in the fields of
nanoscience and nanotechnology. Of these, nearly one million will be needed in the U.S.
An additional 5 million workers will be needed in support areas for these fields. To
develop this workforce, education outreach should be a major thrust of our universities,
industries, and federal labs. This outreach must begin in the elementary grades and
expand up to professional adults in need of retraining and skill enhancement.

Fortunately for Georgia Tech, Diana Palma has found a “WIN-WIN” combination for
Georgia students and researchers to provide support and encouragement for each other.

For over two years the Microelectronics Research Center at Georgia Tech has been
actively building the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network’s southeastern
site. The mission of expanding access and services on state-of-the-art nano-range
equipment to internal and external university and industry users has proceeded
relentlessly. In addition to cleanroom user development, the NNIN/Georgia Tech site is
the headquarters of national development and dissemination of K-Gray nanotechnology
knowledge to the general population. As the Assistant Coordinator of the NNIN
Education Program, Diana Palma is responsible for expanding the K-12 Nanotechnology
Education effort in Georgia Schools, contributing to the www.nnin.org website, assisting
with the GT/RET Program and several NanoCamps in the summer months, and reaching
undergraduates and graduate students at Georgia Tech with the only nanotechnology
education outreach opportunity in Georgia. As the Education and Outreach Program
Manager for the Microelectronics Research Center, it has been an excellent opportunity
to increase visibility to our already well-established cleanroom facility as well.

As the Assistant Coordinator of the NNIN Education Program, Diana Palma is responsible
for expanding the K-12 Nanotechnology Education effort in Georgia Schools, contributing
to the www.nnin.org website, assisting with the GT/RET Program and NanoCamp in the
summer months, as well as reaching undergraduates and graduate students at Georgia Tech
with the only nanotechnology education outreach opportunity in Georgia. As the Education
and Outreach Program Manager for the Microelectronics Research Center, this is an
excellent opportunity to increase visibility to our already well-established clean room
facility as well. After teaching 7-12 science in Georgia schools for 20 years, Diana is now
using her Georgia Tech M.S. in Management of Technology degree to actively recruit and
develop outreach efforts among technology industry sponsors.